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A special issue of Technologies (ISSN 2227-7080). This special issue belongs to the section "Assistive Technologies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2017) | Viewed by 63987

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Peter Cudd

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Guest Editor

Centre for Assistive Technology and Connected Healthcare, ScHARR, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 4DP, UK
Interests: user centred design and evaluation especially for people with disabilities – applied to technology and services; user involvement in advisory and participatory roles in assistive technology and related service innovation; mHealth interventions for long term conditions; research and innovation methods when working with people living with dementia

Prof. Dr. Jeffrey W. Jutai

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Guest Editor

Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, 25 University Private, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
Interests: physical rehabilitation; understanding the factors that affect the adoption and use of assistive technologies; measuring the functional and quality-of-life outcomes of assistive technologies for persons who have a disability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Mario Munoz-Organero

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Guest Editor

Department of Telematic Engineering, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Madrid, Spain
Interests: wearable technologies for health and wellbeing applications; mobile and pervasive computing for assistive living; Internet of Things and assistive technologies; machine learning algorithms for physiological; inertial and location sensors; personal assistants and coaching for health self-management; activity detection and prediction methods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Please visit this site: http://www.aaate2017.eu/ for a detailed description of this Special Issue. The Special Issue will mainly consist of selected papers presented at the 14th Congress of the Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe (2017 AAATE). The conference theme is “Harnessing Technology to Improve Lives”, which applies to people within the scope of the WHO (World Health Organization) International Classification of Functioning. Papers addressing assistive technology and related services innovation anywhere across the following topics are welcomed in this Special Issue:

AT for people with cognitive deficits
Active and Healthy Ageing
Methodology and methods
Robotics
Addressing speech or sensory loss
Usability, accessibility, innovation
Education and Training
Novel AT use in everyday life
Assistive Environments

Dr. Peter Cudd
Prof. Dr. Jeffrey W. Jutai
Prof. Dr. Mario Munoz-Organero
Guest Editors

text

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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15 pages, 931 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Remote Health Care Provision in Care Homes in England: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Study of Yorkshire and the Humber

by Louise Newbould, Gail Mountain, Steven Ariss and Mark S. Hawley

Technologies 2019, 7(1), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies7010024 - 15 Feb 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6313

Abstract

An increasing demand for care homes in the UK, has necessitated the evaluation of innovative methods for delivering more effective health care. Videoconferencing may be one way to meet this demand. However, there is a lack of literature on the provision of videoconferencing in England. This mixed-methods study aimed to map current attitudes, knowledge and provision of videoconferencing in the Yorkshire and Humber region of England. Qualitative interviews with care home managers, a scoping review and field notes from a Special Interest Group (SIG) informed the development of a descriptive convenience survey which was sent out to care home managers in the Yorkshire and Humber region of England. The survey had a 14% (n = 124) response rate. Of those who responded, 10% (n = 12) reported using videoconferencing for health care; with over 78% (n = 97) of respondents’ care homes being based in urban areas. Approximately 62% (n = 77) of the 124 respondents had heard of videoconferencing for health care provision. Of those who reported not using videoconferencing (n = 112), 39% (n = 48) said they would consider it but would need to know more. The top ranked reason for not introducing videoconferencing was the belief that residents would not be comfortable using videoconferencing to consult with a healthcare professional. The main reason for implementation was the need for speedier access to services. Those already using videoconferencing rated videoconferencing overall as being very good (50%) (n = 6) or good (42%) (n = 5). Those who were not using it in practice appeared sceptical before implementing videoconferencing. The main driver of uptake was the home’s current access to and satisfaction with traditionally delivered health care services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from AAATE2017 Congress)

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16 pages, 10165 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predictive Statistical Diagnosis to Determine the Probability of Survival in Adult Subjects with Traumatic Brain Injury

by Mohammed Saleh, Reza Saatchi, Fiona Lecky and Derek Burke

Technologies 2018, 6(2), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies6020041 - 9 Apr 2018

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5944

Abstract

Determining the probability of survival after injury is important as it can inform triage, clinical research and audit. A number of methods have been reported for determining the probability of survival after injury. However, these have shortcomings and thus further developments are needed to improve their reliability and accuracy. In this study, a Bayesian method called Predictive Statistical Diagnosis (PSD) was developed to determine probability of survival in 4124 adults (age: mean = 67.9 years, standard deviation = 21.6 years) with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). In total, 86.2% of cases had survived and 13.8% of cases had not survived their injuries. The parameters considered as inputs to PSD were age, abbreviated injury score (AIS), Glasgow coma score (GCS), pulse rate (PR), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and respiration rate (RR). PSD statistically modeled the TBI cases and their associated injury outcomes, i.e., survived or not survived. The model was calibrated on randomly selected, roughly 2/3 (number 2676), of the cases and its performance was validated on the remaining cases (number 1448, i.e., validation dataset). The effectiveness of PSD in determining the probability of survival was compared with a method called Ps14 that uses regression modeling. With all parameters (i.e., age, AIS, GCS, SBP, RR and PR) included as inputs to PSD, it correctly identified 90.8% of survivors and 50.0% of non-survivors in the validation dataset while Ps14 identified 97.4% of survivors and 40.2% of non-survivors in the validation dataset. When age, AIS and GCS were used on their own as inputs to PSD, it correctly identified 82.4% of the survivors and 65.0% of non-survivors in the validation dataset. Age affected the performance of PSD in determining the survival outcomes. The number of non-surviving cases included in this study may have not been sufficiently high to indicate the full potential of PSD and a further study with a larger number of cases would be beneficial. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from AAATE2017 Congress)

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12 pages, 236 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Risks of Stigmatisation Resulting from Assistive Technologies for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder

by Fiachra O’Brolcháin and Bert Gordijn

Technologies 2018, 6(1), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies6010027 - 26 Feb 2018

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6488

Abstract

Assistive technologies (ATs) are currently being developed for cohorts of vulnerable people, including persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This paper focuses on the risks that the development of ATs for persons with ASD might lead to increased risks of stigmatisation. Firstly, we assess the ways in which the use of ATs might result in the stigmatisation of users, alongside the corollary question of risks associated with a refusal to use ATs in the event of their being socially expected. Secondly, we focus on the question of whether the “project” of developing ATs for persons with ASD is itself stigmatising, and whether the “project” risks stigmatising persons with ASD by offering “cures”. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from AAATE2017 Congress)

17 pages, 3135 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fuzzy Logic and Regression Approaches for Adaptive Sampling of Multimedia Traffic in Wireless Computer Networks

by Abdussalam Salama, Reza Saatchi and Derek Burke

Technologies 2018, 6(1), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies6010024 - 13 Feb 2018

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 6361

Abstract

Organisations such as hospitals and the public are increasingly relying on large computer networks to access information and to communicate multimedia-type data. To assess the effectiveness of these networks, the traffic parameters need to be analysed. Due to the quantity of the data packets, examining each packet’s transmission parameters is not practical, especially in real time. Sampling techniques allow a subset of packets that accurately represents the original traffic to be examined and they are thus important in evaluating the performance of multimedia networks. In this study, an adaptive sampling technique based on regression and a fuzzy inference system was developed. The technique dynamically updates the number of packets sampled by responding to the traffic’s variations. Its performance was found to be superior to the conventional nonadaptive sampling methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from AAATE2017 Congress)

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14 pages, 262 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Remote Care Technology: A Systematic Review of Reviews and Meta-Analyses

by Alexandra Queirós, Joaquim Alvarelhão, Margarida Cerqueira, Anabela G. Silva, Milton Santos and Nelson Pacheco Rocha

Technologies 2018, 6(1), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies6010022 - 10 Feb 2018

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 7090

Abstract

Objectives—To identify the technologies that are being used in the remote care of patients with chronic conditions, and their most relevant outcomes. Methods—A systematic review of reviews and meta-analyses. Results—Fifty-one systematic reviews and meta-analyses related to diabetes, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, mental and behavioral diseases, cancer, hypertension, asthma, multiple sclerosis, chronic renal disease, and obesity were retrieved; these studies compared the use of remote care technology with usual care. Conclusion—Remote care technology has positive effects in various health-related outcomes, but further research is required to allow its use in clinical practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from AAATE2017 Congress)

33 pages, 3340 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Design of New Technology Supporting Wellbeing, Independence and Social Participation, for Older Adults Domiciled in Residential Homes and/or Assisted Living Communities

by Joan Cahill, Sean McLoughlin and Sean Wetherall

Technologies 2018, 6(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies6010018 - 26 Jan 2018

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 11851

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify and validate the requirements for new technology supporting wellness, independence and social participation for older people domiciled in residential homes and/or assisted-living communities. Method: This research adopts a stakeholder evaluation approach to requirements elicitation and user interface design. Specifically, the study design combines several qualitative human–machine interaction (HMI) design frameworks/methods, including realist ethnography, scenario-based design, persona-based design, and participatory design. Findings: New technology should reflect positive values around ageing and link to psychosocial models of successful ageing, and biopsychosocial models of health and wellbeing. Resident autonomy, wellness and social participation cannot be conceptualized outside an understanding of the relationships older adults have with others. The design remit for this technology is to enable a resident experience that is similar to living at home. New technologies should facilitate wellness and communication/connection, and not simply risk assessment. New technology provides an opportunity to bridge existing information gaps between care planning, care assessments and daily care. Overall this technology needs to be intuitive and uphold the resident’s dignity and rights. Person-to-person interaction is central to care delivery. The introduction of new technology should enhance this interaction, and not threaten it. Conclusions: Future assisted-living (AL) technology should be premised by biopsychosocial models of wellness and support relationships between older adults and members of the personal and professional community. New assisted-living technology affords the possibility for improved social relationships, enhanced wellbeing, better quality of care, and independence. Such technologies require careful consideration in relation to adapting to age/condition and managing issues pertaining to resident consent, privacy and human contact. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from AAATE2017 Congress)

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15 pages, 483 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Behavior Drift Detection Based on Anomalies Identification in Home Living Quantitative Indicators

by Fabio Veronese, Andrea Masciadri, Sara Comai, Matteo Matteucci and Fabio Salice

Technologies 2018, 6(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies6010016 - 25 Jan 2018

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5093

Abstract

Home Automation and Smart Homes diffusion are providing an interesting opportunity to implement elderly monitoring. This is a new valid technological support to allow in-place aging of seniors by means of a detection system to notify potential anomalies. Monitoring has been implemented by means of Complex Event Processing on live streams of home automation data: this allows the analysis of the behavior of the house inhabitant through quantitative indicators. Different kinds of quantitative indicators for monitoring and behavior drift detection have been identified and implemented using the Esper complex event processing engine. The chosen solution permits us not only to exploit the queries when run “online”, but enables also “offline” (re-)execution for testing and a posteriori analysis. Indicators were developed on both real world data and on realistic simulations. Tests were made on a dataset of 180 days: the obtained results prove that it is possible to evidence behavior changes for an evaluation of a person’s condition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from AAATE2017 Congress)

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7 pages, 1000 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Eye-Gaze Control Technology as Early Intervention for a Non-Verbal Young Child with High Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Report

by Helena Hemmingsson, Gunnar Ahlsten, Helena Wandin, Patrik Rytterström and Maria Borgestig

Technologies 2018, 6(1), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies6010012 - 16 Jan 2018

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 8269

Abstract

Assistive technology (AT) can be used as early intervention in order to reduce activity limitations in play and communication. This longitudinal case study examines eye-gaze control technology as early intervention for a young child with high spinal cord injury without the ability to make sounds. The young child was followed by repeated measures concerning performance and communication from baseline at 9 months to 26 months, and finalized at 36 months by field observations in the home setting. The results showed eye-gaze performance and frequency of use of eye-gaze control technology increased over time. Goals set at 15 months concerning learning and using the AT; naming objects and interactions with family was successfully completed at 26 months. Communicative functions regarding obtaining objects and social interaction increased from unintentional actions to purposeful choices and interactions. At 36 months, the toddler was partly independent in eye gazing, used all activities provided, and made independent choices. In conclusion, the results show that a 9-month-old child with profound motor disabilities can benefit from eye-gaze control technology in order to gradually perform activities, socially interact with family members, and make choices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from AAATE2017 Congress)

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12 pages, 1191 KiB

Open AccessProtocol

Technology-Supported Group Activity to Promote Communication in Dementia: A Protocol for a Within-Participants Study

by Sarah K. Smith and Arlene J. Astell

Technologies 2018, 6(1), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies6010033 - 12 Mar 2018

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5864

Abstract

Computer Interactive Reminiscence and Conversation Aid (CIRCA)is an interactive conversation support for people living with dementia. CIRCA facilitates one-to-one conversations and caregiving relationships in formal care environments. Originally developed as a standalone device, a new web-based version of CIRCA has been created to increase availability. The potential of CIRCA to support group activities and conversation between people living with dementia and a facilitator has not previously been explored. The two objectives of this study are (i) to validate the new web-based version of CIRCA against the original standalone device, and (ii) to explore the efficacy of CIRCA in supporting group activity for people with dementia in a formal care setting. This mixed-methods study comprises two parts: (i) an eight-session group activity using the CIRCA stand-alone device, and (ii) an eight-session group activity using the web-based CIRCA. One hundred and eighty people with dementia will be recruited: 90 for part (i) and 90 for part (ii). Measures of cognition and quality of life will be taken at the baseline, post-CIRCA intervention, and three months later, plus video recordings of the group sessions. Both parts of the study will be completed by June 2018. The study will provide evidence on two issues: (i) a validation of the new web-based version of CIRCA, and (ii) the suitability of CIRCA to support group activities in formal care settings for people living with dementia. This protocol is an extended version of the short paper presented at the AAATE 2017 conference and published in Studies in Health Technology & Informatics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from AAATE2017 Congress)

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